Charleston is a touristy city. Every corner you turn, there's a bachelorette party or passengers from a cruise trip that just docked. I mean, how can you blame them for wanting to come to visit this beautiful city?

We've been voted the best city in America by Travel & Leisure for a few years now — and there's certainly the reason why: the delicious food, the beautiful architecture and the incredible history. There are multiple ways to explore what the peninsula has to offer: by foot, by bike and, unfortunately, by tour van.

Don't get me wrong, I get people wanting to soak up everything about a city while they are there, but what I don't like is when to do so in ways that not only are inconvenient, but rude for the locals.

And hey, the tourists probably don't know that their drivers aren't going to be the most respectful of people, and this is why I am wanting to address the issue before these tour companies make any more money.

These drivers pay absolutely no attention to their surroundings. They are the ones to actually give the tours and show the tourists the sites of the city, so they aren't keeping their eyes on the road.

Countless times while driving around town, I've had the vans cut me off, go 20 miles over the speed limit and have even seen them nearly hit people at crosswalks. It seems every other time I hear a horn downtown, it's from somebody beeping at a tour van for their irresponsible driving.

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The inconsiderateness still continues even when the vans are stopped. I live across the street from a gorgeous museum, so every ten minutes or so, a tour van drive up and plops itself either blocking two street spots or in front of my place's driveway so the tourists can see the outside of it.

There have been multiple occasions where I have driven home and go to park on the street, waiting patiently behind the van to move up seven or eight feet so I can park and go inside.

Clearly, they see me. When I pull up behind them, they start to inch just up a little bit — nowhere near enough to fit my Ford Escape into its spot. I also want to point out that my residential street is probably one of the widest in Charleston.

Free-flowing traffic would have no issues going around the van if need — even if traffic were coming from the opposite direction, there would be plenty of space for three vehicles to be next to each other comfortably.

There are some drivers that will even park in front of my place's parking lot. My place is a four-unit historic house, and one day when I was riding my bike home from class, I see my neighbors pulling out of the driveway, but can't completely do so because a tour bus blocked the whole thing. I started waving my hands at the bus, trying to get their attention to moving. Plenty of people saw me, but everyone ignored me, and still, the bus remained right where.

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It may not seem like a big deal, having to wait a minute or two for a tour bus, but this happens almost every single day.

There are plenty other places on our wide street for these buses to wait while they show the tourists the outside of the museum across the street.

Everyone would be happy if these bus drivers gave more attention to the locals, instead of focusing strictly on the tourists. As for their irresponsible driving, I don't see why one person can't guide while the other drives. It's a win-win: more employment, and more happy locals.

If only everyone could start paying more attention.